Doubled Chiseled Back in James Issac

Last year's winner looks for a repeat victory on Saturday at Zia Park.

September 11, 2012

Double Chiseled, who won two stakes races at Zia Park last year, including the 2011 James Isaac Hobbs Stakes, will return to the Hobbs, New Mexico, track on Saturday in the 2012 renewal of the James Isaac Hobbs (G2). The 350-yard, $55,000 event that drew a full field of 10 is named for the founder of the city who first came from Texas in 1907 with his wife, Francis, and their four children.

Last year Double Chiseled, who is trained by Harvey Baeza and will be ridden by Jaime Parga Leos, won both the James Isaac Hobbs and the $55,000 Lovington Stakes (G2). He also finished third in the $150,000 Zia Park Championship (G1), the top race of the meet for older Quarter Horses.

The main competition to a repeat win by Double Chiseled could come from Aint Eye Kool, a former claimer who has won two races in a row and four of his last five, highlighted by a victory in the 350-yard, $20,000 Pfizer SunRay Park Starter Allowance Challenge at SunRay Park on May 13. That victory earned the 4-year-old gray a spot in the $75,000 Pfizer Starter Allowance Challenge Championship, a race for horses who have started in claiming races of $5,000 or less within the last year, on Bank of America Challenge Championship night at Prairie Meadows in Iowa on October 27. Owner David Alaniz claimed Aint Eye Kool for $7,500 at Retama Park in Texas in August 2011. Esgar Ramirez will be aboard for trainer Roberto Sanchez.

Another horse on a two-race win streak is A Spring Snow, who is coming off victories in the 350 yard, $25,000 O. B. Cockerell Stakes at Albuquerque on August 12 and an allowance win at SunRay Park on June 16. The race also features Tee Cos, who won a trial to the All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs on August 17, and Klassic Strawfly, the winner of the 400-yard, $75,000 Jimmy Drake Stakes for New Mexico-breds at SunRay Park in June.

Michael Chamberlain, the announcer at Turf Paradise in Phoenix, will call the races at Zia Park this week from Saturday to Tuesday. Chamberlain will be filling in for new Zia Park track announcer Jonathan Horowitz, who will be celebrating the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah holiday in California. Chamberlain was part of All-Star Announcer Day at the Breeders’ Cup World Thoroughbred Championships in 2002, 2004 and 2006. He is also a former hockey color commentator with the Phoenix Roadrunners.